RIP: Jimmy Ellis, Peter Bergman, Mike Melvoin

Last year I lost the confidence of a longtime reader when I failed to extol the musical virtues of Andrew Gold after his death in June at the too-young age of 59. The L.A. singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist was indeed underrated; best known for his great Top 10 hit "Lonely Boy" (from his 1976 album What's Wrong with This Picture?) and the Golden Girls theme "Thank You for Being a Friend," he was nonetheless a far more accomplished artist than those achievements suggest.

I should have gotten 'round to saying so last summer, or even the end of 2011. Sometimes the best intentions can still slip through the cracks.

So in an effort to keep that from reoccurring -- to instead memorialize (at least briefly) talents whose deaths may not be as stunning as Davy Jones' or Whitney Houston's but whose work merits wider recognition -- consider this the latest in what I hope will be infrequent round-ups of lesser-known players who have left us.

• The one announced today was hardly insignificant: As a founding member of the boundary-busting comedy troupe the Firesign Theatre, Peter Bergman was one of the leading satirical minds of the '60s counterculture. He's also the man credited with coining the term "love-in" after organizing such an event in Los Angeles in April '67. His work across two dozen albums, particularly within the team's many Nick Danger sketches, is comedy of rare wit and intellect. He died Friday, March 9, at 72, of complications from leukemia.

•Jimmy Ellis had a voice millions of people recognized, primarily from one song, yet scarcely anyone would be able to name on Jeopardy!: Who's that dude who wailed and growled and unnnnh-ed his way through "Disco Inferno," arguably the mightiest of all disco tunes? That was Ellis, lead singer of the Trammps, who died last Thursday, March 8, at 74. The cause wasn't immediately known, though Ellis suffered from Alzheimer's.

The clip above should bring back some memories, but if disco mattered to you -- and it should, you stubborn hater -- seek out the full-blown "Disco Inferno" on that old mega-selling cultural artifact, the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack; it blazes on for a solid 11 minutes yet never bores.

The former, who died of prostate cancer March 3 at 64, was among the sharper but less-celebrated six-string wielders of his generation, building his reputation via key early-'70s albums (Van Morrison's Tupelo Honey, Edgar Winter Group's They Only Come Out at Night) before launching his fleetingly popular band Montrose in 1973 with a then-unknown vocalist named Sammy Hagar. Watch the group's namesake let loose toward the end of "Bad Motor Scooter" above, or click to see some of a reunion appearance with Hagar in 2005.

The latter was a master, rightfully regarded highly in jazz and L.A. music circles, whose career led him to become chairman and president of the Recording Academy. Melvoin, who also died of cancer, on Feb. 22 at 74, began learning piano when he was 3 -- and by the time he was 33 had played on everything from the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and the Jackson 5's ABC to Frank Sinatra's That's Life.

Among his other credits: Tom Waits' jazzbo live set from 1975, Nighthawks at the Diner, John Lennon's remake of the Ben E. King classic "Stand by Me," Barbra Streisand's Oscar-winning "Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born)," scoring the television series Fame and a heaping handful of his own recordings, including a version of "All or Nothing at All" that earned him a Grammy nomination in 2003.

Among Melvoin's other great accomplishments: three musical children -- Susannah, Jonathan and Wendy, the latter of Wendy & Lisa and Prince & the Revolution fame. There are a few other YouTube clips available from a celebration of his life's work last year at the Culver Club, but I found this intimate video, apparently taken by phone, far more touching.

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.